AY Honors/Teaching/Answer Key 2

Investiture Achievement Connection: This Honor is related to the Investiture Achievement requirements for GUIDE Serving Others which require the Pathfinder choose to complete selected requirements from among several Honors, including this Honor. The Advanced Ribbon requires completion of a selected Honor, of which this is one of the options.

1. What education is needed for teaching the following: a. Elementary school, b. Secondary school, c. College

The requirements necessary to become a teacher vary dramatically from country to country, and in the United States, it varies from state to state. In general, a four year bachelors degree is required to teach elementary school, though often there is no direct "degree" in elementary education. Rather, the education certification is the "minor" one earns while receiving a bachelors' degree. If one is planning to teach in secondary school, the teacher often receives a degree in the subject of interest, and certification (whether denominational and/or state), as a minor or fifth year of education. Both elementary and secondary certifications require student teaching, which is either one-quarter or one-semester in length, depending on the program.

The path to becoming a college professor is much more varied. College professors eventually earn a doctorate in the area of their particular interest and giftedness. However, they may get that degree immediately after they finish a bachelors' or masters' degree, or years later either before they began teaching at a college level or after they have begun their professorship (but usually before they become full professors). College professors are specialists in their field of study, which means they have often been professionals in that field for a number of years prior to entering the college teaching scene.

2. What is re-certification?

Recertification is when you have someone’s certification or qualification renewed. Teacher recertification is the way that teachers keep "current" in the issues that affect their classrooms, their teaching style, and most importantly, their students. Most students think that their teachers get the summer off. In reality, most teachers spend a large portion of each summer attending summer school, taking additional classes that will help them be better teachers. In most cases, re-certification requirements require that a teacher earn a certain number of college credits every three years.

There are a variety of certifications and endorsements available to teachers. In the SDA teaching system, a teacher begins with a basic certification, after three years and some classes and tests, a teacher may receive a standard certification. After a significant number of years and education (usually a masters' degree) a teacher is eligible to receive a professional certification.

Adventist Youth Honors Answer Book/Vocational/Teaching/R3

4. Explore the Bible and the book Education by Ellen G. White to learn what teaching methods Jesus used. Present a three-minute oral report on what you learned.

The Bible can be searched online at http://www.biblegateway.com. The Ellen White writings can be viewed and searched online at http://www.whiteestate.org/search/search.asp

Adventist Youth Honors Answer Book/Vocational/Teaching/R56

Historical notes

When the original Honor for Teaching was accepted in 1944, it was for adult Master Guides and had only one requirement: "Have five years of professional teaching experience on the elementary, secondary, or college level."- Junior Missionary Volunteer Handbook, revision of 1957.

Many Honors have grown and changed over the years. Today we focus on development that allows our youth to participate in and earn any Honor.

The flag was changed from an American Flag to the UN flag to reflect the worldwide scope of Pathfindering.

About the Author

Mark O'Ffill is a member of the NAD Honors Committee and submitted the 2006 requirements for the Computer and Advanced Computer Honors. He also is the author of the Internet and Internet Advanced NAD AY Honors.

Mark was the webmaster for the 1999 and 2004 NAD International Pathfinder Camporees, serving for over seven years in that capacity, providing the Camporee community with an online informational resource.

At the writing of this biography, Mark is the Religion and Computer Teacher at Pacific Union College Preparatory School in Angwin, CA. He also serves as Registrar and Information Technology Services guy for this institution. He has been a staff member at PUC Prep since 2003.

"Pastor Mark" is an ordained minister, and served for almost five years as a youth pastor in Florida. He is a 6th generation Seventh-day Adventist pastor, and loves studying Adventist history.

Mark is an avid Pathfinder, serving as a Pathfinder staff member since the age of fifteen, when he was the youngest Director in the North America Division. Since 2004, he has been the Area 9 Area Coordinator for the Northern California Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. He loves earning Pathfinder honors and mentoring staff members in creative teaching methods they can use in teaching Pathfinders.